Every town and city across the country has restaurants. I live in a small town and there is a plethora of choices when it comes to eating establishments. If you prefer Tim Horton’s coffee, you have three choices or if you are a Starbucks fan, you have that choice or even McDonalds. You can choose from Burger King, A&W, Harveys, KFC, Swiss Chalet, Crabby Joes, Pizza, Sushi, Burritos, Fish and Chips, Shawarma, Chinese and more. The choices are a veritable smorgasbord so your appetite can be satisfied and on top of what we have here, you can take a short drive to London, and you can increase your choices considerably. Whatever your preference is for food, there will be a restaurant that will cater to your desires. 

    Sorry about that, you may now be thinking about all the choices that you have to eat near you. Obviously, this is not a food blog, so what we are talking about is all the choices we have when it comes to churches. That too is a veritable smorgasbord. In this little town the list of churches is about as long as the list of restaurants. Even in this small town you can see denominationalism in full swing. Denominationalism is an “adherence to particular principles, esp. to the tenets of a religious denomination; sectarianism, the tendency to divide or cause to divide into sects or denominations.” Sectarianism also defined as a “very strong support for the religious or political group that you are a member of, which can cause problems between different groups.” When you think about the restaurants that satisfy your own appetite, the same happens with churches, as people want to have their own appetites satisfied. Church became about meeting your own needs instead of submitting those needs to God. You can add another ism here and that is individualism. Individualism is “the idea that freedom of thought and action for each person is the most important quality of a society, rather than shared effort and responsibility.” You can also take individualism a step further and make it about culture or race. This is called phyletism which means a nationality should be served by its own independent ecclesiastical administration even on the territory of another church.” You could even add Narcissism which means “self-centered with an exaggerated sense of self-importance.”

    So, if you don’t like a restaurant, you just go somewhere else. The same happens with church. Many will find somewhere to go based on their own needs and wants. Church growth is mostly transfer growth with people church hopping as they look for something more appetizing, yet still missing the bread of life. John 6:35 “Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” But most just want to be fed by man instead. They may say the programs are great or the preaching is dynamic, and the worship is uplifting, and the choice of church will be based on their personal needs and likes. But if those needs are not met, they look for somewhere else to go. Most people have no idea what the church they attend actually believes or even where the doctrine / theology of that particular church comes from even if they call them self non-denominational. Non-denominationalism has been on the rise. On the surface, the church will look similar to others, but it doesn’t take much searching to find out what a church really believes. Like denominationalism there will also be a strong emphasis on man. 

    One of the most absurd statements on this subject of isms I came across was, “The fact that we use labels to describe the beliefs of various Christians should not be seen as a means of separating or dividing believers from one another. It is merely a convenient way of explaining some of the main differences that Bible-believing Christians hold.” I am sorry but that is ignorant, but many think this way. If you are a bible-believing Christian, which by the way bible-believing is redundant because as a Christian (like Christ) you believe and obey the bible, then the gospel would be the same. If all these denominations actually did believe the bible, you would have the gospel preached no matter where you were, no matter what town, city or country. The church is not like all the restaurant choices because there is only supposed to be one way, not many ways. You cannot teach contrary to the word of God or add to or subtract from God’s word and still be called the true church. Whether you live in a little town like Strathroy, or major metropolitan centers like Toronto, New York or Tokyo or whatever location around the world, the gospel is supposed to be the same no matter the location or ethnicity. Ephesians 4:4 “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” If the Holy Spirit was truly present as most would say, there would not be all these major differences. People say they all believe in Jesus but if they did, they would believe His word and there would be the power from on High present. 

    We were warned that the church would be infiltrated with false teachers / prophets. Not only are they satisfying their own appetites, but they are also satisfying the appetites of others. They will offer you morsels to satisfy your appetites. 2 Timothy 4:3 “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” We were told, Proverbs 23:3 “Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive.” Psalm 141:4 “Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil so that I take part in wicked deeds along with those who are evildoers; do not let me eat their delicacies.” Paul said Romans 16:17 “I urge you to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. 18 For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.” Peter said 2 Peter 2:1 “But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.” Isaiah 56:10 “Israel’s watchmen are blind, they all lack knowledge; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they lie around and dream, they love to sleep. 11 They are dogs with mighty appetites; they never have enough. They are shepherds who lack understanding; they all turn to their own way, they seek their own gain. 12 “Come,” each one cries, “let me get wine! Let us drink our fill of beer! And tomorrow will be like today, or even far better.” 1 Timothy 1:6 “Some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk. 7 They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.” If the church actually started preaching and teaching what the bible really states, there would be a lot of offended people just as they were offended when Jesus preached.  

    Paul said this about division. 1 Corinthians 1:10 “I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. 11 My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12 What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so no one can say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.” He also preached with great power. Acts 19:11 “God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.” He said 1 Corinthians 15:33 “Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” 34 Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame.” He also said, 1 Corinthians 11:17 “In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. 18 In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. 19 No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval.” 

    The church today is nothing but differences and division and nowhere near being unified. After Pentecost they were filled again and this was how the church was supposed to continue. Acts 4:31 “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. 32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.” That was the church in action - filled with the Spirit, spoke boldly, unified, no one in need, great power.

    Paul then talked about the body of Christ being one. Many interpret this wrong and say all these different divisions / schisms in the church are the body of Christ, yet they do not teach what the head taught, nor do they have His power. Deuteronomy 29:19 “When such a person hears the words of this oath and they invoke a blessing on themselves, thinking, “I will be safe, even though I persist in going my own way,” they will bring disaster on the watered land as well as the dry.” Colossians 2:19 “They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.” This also means they are not connected to the Holy Spirit nor does God dwell among them, which explains the lack of power. Being connected to the head means Galatians 3:26 “in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Ephesians 2:19 “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” That building is not built with human hands. Jesus said John 14:23 “Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. 25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” So, what makes people think there needs to be new teaching added to scripture, or new ways of doing things? True worshippers’ worship in Spirit and truth. 

    It is important to understand that the gospel will be the same no matter where you are in this world, if it is the true Gospel. It will just be different people, not thousands of differing beliefs. For example, you have Paul who was chosen by God to be His witness which is amazing in itself and shows the powerful change that can happen. Many people have changed but they don’t proclaim the gospel and often don’t even know they are following other gospels. Paul didn’t just change, he became God’s servant and proclaimed the gospel fearlessly.  Acts 22:19 “‘Lord,’ I replied, ‘these people know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and beat those who believe in you. 20 And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.” Galatians 1:13 “For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. 14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. 17 I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.” God did the same with Jeremiah. Jeremiah 1:4 “The word of the Lord came to me, saying, 5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” 9 Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. 10 See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.” When God appoints someone to speak for Him, it will be His words and it will be His words spoken to the people. Paul’s teaching lined up with the Apostles even though they were apart.

    Yes, there are some people who are predestined for God’s purposes but not how some say only certain people will be chosen to go heaven. In Ephesians we see that some are chosen for certain positions. Ephesians 4:11 “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” Those five positions are still in operation today except, new words are not being added to scripture. 1 Corinthians 12:27 “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?” The words that no one wants to hear that are already in the bible will be proclaimed, nothing more. This is not what the Catholics and others believe as they continue to add to scripture. The Gospel that is proclaimed will be the same one Jesus and His disciples taught with the same results as described in scripture. For example, with the Toronto Blessing the manifestation looked different that scripture. Barking, laughing, drunken are all signs of satan and are seen in cults. Some manifestations will be close but still not the same as 2 Corinthians 11:14 “And no wonder, for satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.” Mark 13:22 “For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” When that true Gospel is proclaimed, God’s signs will follow. Acts 4:30 “Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” Mark 16:20 “The Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.” Hebrews 2:3 “This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4 God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.” Acts 6:8 “Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.”

    The church today is not unified. Though many say they are ecumenical, there really is no such thing as they all hold to their own teachings. Sure, they may gather together to meet or to sponsor certain events but none of them will set aside their beliefs to be one. To turn from wicked ways is something most will not do because each one believes their way is truth. I belonged at one time to the town ministerial who at the time could not even have communion together, yet pretended to be ecumenical. Ecumenism is “the principle or aim of promoting unity among the world's Christian Churches.” The reality is that church believes more in pluralism than ecumenism. Pluralism is “the existence of different types of people, who have different beliefs and opinions, within the same society.” So each city or town will have many differing churches, like restaurants, all believing something completely different and that is seen as normal Christianity but it is not. Jesus said John 17:20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” Does the world believe the church? The church doesn’t even believe and is rapidly declining, as religions like Islam and Buddhism are growing.

    Here is an example of the division that I was part of. This is going to be very basic. Just search denominations since the Reformation and look at the charts. There is so much division, it is mindboggling, in fact it is so ridiculous to look at it is on the verge of madness (delusion). It really brings meaning to 2 Thessalonians 2:9 “The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.” My journey started in the Free Methodist Church. The ministry plan was you go to seminary and so I went to seminary. After graduating, my first church was a real eye opener to my journey into the deceived and delusional church. It turned out the bible really wasn’t what people wanted to hear nor was the denomination centered on God’s word. The denomination was void of the Holy Spirit and power. Then after a journey into the charismatic realms (still no true power but learned a lot), I joined the Wesleyan Church as a church planter (again no power). That turned out to be more education on what the church looks like without the Spirit guiding. One of the questions people had was why is it called Wesleyan and named after a man. You were supposed to tell them about Wesley and the important role he played in church history. Even so it is wrong. Wesleyanism takes it a step further than just Methodism and this denomination openly states they worship the man of the method. The Wesleyan church I used to be part of was named after John Wesley. They worshipped this man so much they put His name in front of the church. Not every church who followed Wesley was so open about their idolatry, but if you look closely the teaching of Wesley will be there. There are many who worship Wesley just as there are many who worship John Calvin. This blatant following of a man in this case really showcases the dangers of isms. I have shared this before, but Asbury seminary has even idolized John Wesley and even His brother Charles by erecting idols of them at Asbury Seminary. There is even an idol of Francis Asbury on his horse at the entrance to Wilmore where this seminary is located. I am still waiting to hear if the idols were torn down and buildings named after men were changed after the “revival.”

         Here is a very brief snapshot of the Methodist tradition. The Church of England / Anglicanism broke from the Catholic church. “Henry VIII broke ties with the Pope in the 1530s after the Catholic church wouldn’t allow him to annul his marriage to his first wife.” But again, void of the Holy Spirit. Even though Queen Elizabeth II was also the "Defender of the Faith and Supreme Governor of the Church of England,” after 70 years the church is dead. From there you had John and Charles Wesley and Methodism which led to the Holiness Movement. Yes, very brief! From my years in this movement I don’t think there was much holiness or movement. Hear is what I was talking about earlier where people see division as a good thing. The Wesleyan Church of Canada states “The creation of our sister denominations were thankfully also taking place in the early part of the 18th century, such as the founding of the: Salvation Army; Brethren in Christ/Be in Christ; Free Methodist Church; Pentecostal churches; Christian and Missionary Alliance; Evangelical Missionary Church, Church of the Nazarene, and more recently the Vineyard church … all of which share a rich heritage, similar doctrinal positions, comparable church structures, complimentary church ministries, and warm relationships with the Wesleyan Church. Wesleyan churches in Canada consider it a wonderful privilege to partner with other Christian denominations and parachurch organizations, especially our sister holiness churches in the great commission given by Jesus to His disciples over 2,000 years ago. We continue to be unwavering in our allegiance to the Bible, our reliance on the Holy Spirit, our commitment to serving our communities, and pursuing lives which are characterized by the power, purity and passion of Christ for the lost and hurting.” 

    When you look at all the division in the church, it is no wonder there is no power. Division just leads to more division. You could take most churches and trace all their schisms that got them where they are. Returning to God’s word is what we are called to do. So the charts should have a line back to the very early church and not to the previous schism. I am not a history buff by no means, but when I looked at all of this it made my head spin. The thought that the church thinks with all this division, that each church is part of the body of Christ is part of the deception and delusion that took place with the abomination that causes desolation. We were warned not to be deceived. Paul talks about the unity of the Spirit when he said 1 Corinthians 12:12 “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.” He wasn’t talking about all the different beliefs of all the different churches. Just above he said, 1 Corinthians 12:4 “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.” He goes on to say 1 Corinthians 12:27 “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” He is not talking about all the other gospels that the church has fallen for. He is talking about being one in Christ and following the one true gospel. As Jesus said in Mark 16, that gospel will be confirmed by the signs that follow. The church has been deceived into thinking that going their own way is approved and blessed by God, but scripture tells us otherwise and there is no power.

    All the warnings in scripture were ignored and man went their own way just as they have always done. Micah 3:5 “This is what the Lord says: “As for the prophets who lead my people astray, they proclaim ‘peace’ if they have something to eat, but prepare to wage war against anyone who refuses to feed them. 6 Therefore night will come over you, without visions, and darkness, without divination. The sun will set for the prophets, and the day will go dark for them. 7 The seers will be ashamed and the diviners disgraced. They will all cover their faces because there is no answer from God.” 8 But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression, to Israel his sin.  9 Hear this, you leaders of Jacob, you rulers of Israel, who despise justice and distort all that is right; 10 who build Zion with bloodshed, and Jerusalem with wickedness. 11 Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets tell fortunes for money. Yet they look for the Lord’s support and say, “Is not the Lord among us? No disaster will come upon us.” 12 Therefore because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, the temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets.”

    I grew up in the church and pastored and I saw first-hand the injustice that goes on behind the scenes all in the name of God. Like the world, politics and money play a role in the church. Many fell for the world’s business model of church, and some have been very successful. satan did say, Luke 4:5 “The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7 If you worship me, it will all be yours.” Isms can be deadly and if you look, there are many but what we must get back to is being true Christians that look like Jesus, are filled with the Holy Spirit like Jesus and go and do as He did in the same power and authority as Jesus. This is what we were told. Matthew 10:1 “Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. 7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons.” 

    The only way for this power and authority to return is to turn from all these wicked ways. A form of godliness is not what we should desire. 2 Timothy 3:5 “having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.” Hosea 1:1 “Return, Israel, to the Lord your God. Your sins have been your downfall! 2 Take words with you and return to the Lord. Say to him: “Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit of our lips. 3 Assyria cannot save us; we will not mount warhorses. We will never again say ‘Our gods’ to what our own hands have made, for in you the fatherless find compassion. 9 Who is wise? Let them realize these things. Who is discerning? Let them understand. The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.” We can’t be afraid to turn from what human hands have made and return to the word of God. Malachi 1:10 “Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord Almighty, “and I will accept no offering from your hands. 11 My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to me, because my name will be great among the nations,” says the Lord Almighty For I am a great king,” says the Lord Almighty, “and my name is to be feared among the nations.”